Fórsa members at Oberstown to escalate strike action

Members of the Fórsa trade union employed at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin are set to intensify their strike action due to concerns over resourcing and staffing. The workers will commence a 12-hour strike and a 48-hour strike starting from Monday, 31 August. This is the fourth strike in a series of planned weekly work stoppages, which began earlier this month.

According to Fórsa, social care work will not be exempted from the action, with only catering being exempted. Fórsa Assistant General Secretary Deirdre O Connell emphasized that the strike is aimed at achieving a lasting solution to ensure the safety of both residents and staff, as the environment at Oberstown houses young individuals with diverse needs.

O Connell also stated that Fórsa is open to meaningful, solution-focused discussions with Oberstown management. However, Oberstown expressed deep concern that the upcoming strike, if carried out without derogation, could put the safety, security, and wellbeing of staff, young people, and all individuals on campus at risk. They have taken steps over the past year to improve staffing, including the recruitment of 23 frontline staff, and noted a reduction in recorded incidents by 29%, from 191 in 2025 to 136 in 2026.

Oberstown has urged Fórsa to reconsider the escalation and ensure that any industrial action safeguards the safety, rights, and welfare of the young people in their care, as well as staff.